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Teen Survival Guide
Your period
Your period doesn’t have to keep you from doing the things you like to do. Nobody even needs to know you’re having it but you!
Tampons or pads? It’s your choice
What you should know about tampons:
- Tampons are put inside of your vagina to soak up blood before it leaves your body. Instructions come with tampons to show you how to put them in.
- Some tampons have a plastic or cardboard covering—called the “applicator”—that makes it easier for you to put the tampon in. Do not leave the applicator inside your vagina.
- All tampons have a string at the end to help you take it out when it needs to be changed (at least every 4 to 8 hours).
- Tampons will not get lost in your vagina or “slip up.”
- You can wear tampons when you swim. Water does not enter your vagina.
- It is VERY important that you use the tampon with the lowest level of absorbency (the amount it can soak up) for your needs. Don’t use a “super” tampon if you only need a “regular” tampon.
- Using tampons that are too absorbent or not changing them often enough can put you at risk for toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a rare yet dangerous infection.
Teen tip: To clean menstrual blood from your underwear or clothes, soak the spot for a few minutes in COLD water mixed with a little laundry detergent. Once the blood is washed out, wash with other clothes as usual.
Tell an adult and call a doctor if you are using tampons and have the following:
- High fever that comes on all of a sudden
- Muscle pains
- Dizziness or fainting
- A rash that looks like sunburn
- Bloodshot eyes
- Strange vaginal discharge (fluid) with an unusual scent, look, or feel
- Feeling of confusion
It is possible to tear your hymen by putting in a tampon, but this is rare. If it does tear, this does not mean you are no longer a virgin. You are a virgin until you have sexual intercourse.
What you should know about pads:
- Pads stick to the inside of your underwear and soak up the blood that leaves the vagina.
- Some pads are thin, for days when your period is light. Some are thick, for when you are bleeding more. You also can use thicker pads at night when you sleep.
- During the day, it is best to check your pad every couple of hours so that you can change it before it is soaked with blood.
- If you are worried about any smell, changing pads often and keeping up good hygiene will help control this. You do not need to use deodorant pads.
- You probably don’t want to wear pads when you swim. They will soak up water and be bulky.
To: girlshealth.gov
From: Nicole (age 12), Greeley, Colorado
Do I need to douche?
Vaginal discharge and having your period might feel messy to you at first. But rinsing or cleaning out the vagina with douche (cleansing with a special product that is sold for this purpose) is not a good idea. "Douching" can make you more likely to get dangerous infections. To keep feeling fresh, wash your vulva with gentle, scent-free soap and try using panty liners when you’re not having your period. Over time, you will get used to these feelings and may not notice them at all!
Content last updated February 12, 2008
